KnowYard Community

Toyota Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner, and Prius are the most targeted. Higher ground clearance = easier access, and Toyota cats have more precious metals. If you own one of these, you're a target.

The insurance situation in Texas is rough right now. Get quotes BEFORE you make an offer on a house. Some areas are seeing 40-50% premium increases after recent storm seasons.

The best part is when they finish one section and it's beautiful for about 6 months before the potholes come back because they used the cheapest materials possible.

Left my hybrid job for a fully remote one. Took a small pay cut but the savings on gas, parking, lunch, and wardrobe made it net positive. Zero regrets.

Read your CC&Rs cover to cover. Half the violations HOAs send out are either not actually in the rules or they're enforcing selectively. If your neighbor's trash can is visible too, document it and bring it up.

Look at healthcare and government tech roles. They're not as flashy but they're still hiring and they don't lay off every 6 months. Stability matters when you've been burned.

Same thing happened to me in January. 3 years, great reviews, gone in a 10 minute call. The market is rough but not dead. Took me 11 weeks to find something. Apply everywhere, even stuff you think you're overqualified for.

Motion sensor lights on the driveway made a difference for us. Not a guarantee but they don't like being lit up.

I deliver for Amazon Flex on weekends. $25/hr base plus tips. Use your own vehicle. 4-5 hour blocks. It's not exciting but it's reliable money with a flexible schedule.

The companies forcing return-to-office are just trying to justify their lease costs. It's not about productivity and everyone knows it.

I found a garage apartment behind someone's house for $950/month. Private entrance, quiet street, great neighborhood. Wouldn't have found it on any apartment website.

Dashcam with parking mode. It records when it detects motion near the car. Won't stop the theft but gives you evidence and sometimes a clear face.

Older suburbs that haven't been "discovered" yet by flippers. The apartment complexes built in the 90s-2000s that are well-maintained but not trendy. Those are the sweet spot.

Never, ever leave a gun in your car overnight. I know Texas loves truck guns but an unsecured firearm in an unlocked vehicle is just a free gun for criminals.

Furniture flipping. Grab free stuff off Facebook Marketplace, clean it up or do minor repairs, resell. A truck is your biggest advantage. I clear $500-800/month doing this on weekends.

Pressure washing. You can get a decent setup for $400. Driveways, fences, patios. Post on Nextdoor and you'll be booked within a week. $100-200 per driveway.

Our neighborhood pooled money for extra private security patrol one night a week. Break-ins dropped significantly. It's not cheap but it works.

LOCK YOUR CARS. I know it sounds obvious but half the break-ins are just unlocked doors. They walk down the street pulling handles. If it's locked they move on.

I walked out of an interview where the manager bragged about never taking vacation. That's not dedication, that's a warning about what they'll expect from you.

"Competitive benefits" with no specifics = bad benefits. Real companies list their benefits because they're proud of them. Vague ones are hiding something.

The real cost is what Texas is losing. Good teachers leave for other careers or other states. What's left is a teacher shortage that keeps getting worse. My kid's school has had 3 substitute teachers this year because they can't fill positions.

Texas is at-will employment. They can fire you for almost any reason at any time. So when they say "job security," ask about actual turnover rates. That's the real answer.

Drive through the area at night before you sign anything. If you feel uneasy at 10pm on a Tuesday, trust that instinct.

Facebook marketplace for house rentals. A lot of smaller landlords don't list on Zillow or Apartments.com. Some of the best deals are private listings from owners.

The "but you get summers off" crowd has clearly never met a teacher. My wife spends summer doing curriculum planning, professional development, and setting up her classroom. It's unpaid work.